Cranbrook school prospectus

“A prospectus can only give a glimpse of what a school is like. I hope that you will come and see for yourself what Cranbrook has to offer your son or daughter. We seek to educate the whole person, developing everyone’s academic potential at the same time as allowing them to pursue excellence in sport and the arts. Of equal importance is the social and spiritual growth of young adults. They will be moving into a complex and rapidly changing world and we aim to provide the firm foundation which will allow them to succeed and become happy and useful members of society.

If you would like more information or the chance to view the School please contact the Registrar who will be delighted to help.”

A.S. Daly Head Teacher

School. Tel: 01580 711800 Registar. Tel: 01580 711804 Fax: 01580 711828 www.cranbrookschool.co.uk Email: registrar@cranbrook.kent.sch.uk

Cranbrook, Kent, TN17 3JD, England • Tel: 01580 711800/711804 Fax: 01580 711828 • Email: registrar@cranbrook.kent.sch.uk www.cranbrookschool.co.uk

LOND ON A2

By Rail to Charing Cross from Staplehurst via Tonbridge

M20 M25 Sevenoaks

Maidstone

A25

M20

Tonbridge M23

Gatwick

East Grinstead

Canterbury

M2

M26 M25

Staplehurst

KENT

A2

Ashford

STATION

A229

Tunbridge Wells

Dover ASHFORD INTERNATIONAL STATION

A262

Tenterden A21 A267

CRANBROOK

M20 CHANNEL TUNNEL

Folkestone

Hawkhurst

A22

A23

E. SUSSEX To Eastbourne

Hastings

Designed and Produced by deansmith design 01732 866 266

To Brighton

Cranbrook, Kent, TN17 3JD, England • Tel: 01580 711800/711804 Fax: 01580 711828 • Email: registrar@cranbrook.kent.sch.uk www.cranbrookschool.co.uk

The pupils’ excellent attitudes, very good standards of behaviour and quality of personal development are very distinctive and are a significant strength of the school.

OFSTED 2003

Our Aims, Ethos and History Cranbrook’s story is a remarkable one. We remain what we always were, the free Grammar School of Queen Elizabeth in Cranbrook, now translated into a thriving, co-educational, academic, grammar school. We also remain a major boarding school, offering a fine education to boys and girls from throughout the country, and indeed the world. No other school blends so completely the traditions of State and Independent school.

We aim to offer the best of both traditions - to make available an excellent academic education to pupils living in the school’s area, and to add to it the strengths of a good boarding school, within the maintained system, at a reasonable price.

We seek to realise the following educational aims: • To maintain and develop in pupils lively enquiring minds; to promote the ability to question and argue rationally; to encourage pupils to apply themselves to a range of tasks and skills including the application of Information Technology.

• To foster attitudes which will instil self-confidence in pupils, create in them a sense of personal excellence and help them acquire knowledge and skills relevant to life and work in a fast changing world.

• To emphasise the importance of language, number, the aesthetic and physical areas of learning and to develop competence in them.

Our Aims, Ethos and History Introduction to the School The Curriculum Extra Curricular Activities Sport Special Programmes The Boarding Life Admission and other details

3 4 6 10 12 14 16 (attached leaflet)

• To help pupils to develop personal, spiritual and moral values, an understanding of religions and beliefs, a tolerance of others and their ways of life and to be caring members of their community.

• To help pupils understand the world in which they live and the interdependence of individuals, groups and nations.

• To develop in pupils the ability to appreciate critically human achievements and aspirations.

Our curriculum is the means by which we pursue these aims.

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Status Today, Cranbrook School is well known in the South East, with its population of some 720 pupils aged between 13 and 18 (years 9 to 13 in the National Curriculum). It is fully co-educational and has 280 boarding places. There are around 300 Sixth Formers (Years 12 and 13) following a two-year course of AS and A Level (A2) examinations.

As a school within the state maintained sector, no tuition fees are payable, and day pupils naturally attend free, as in any local authority school. Boarding fees are charged by the Governors of the School.

The Houses

IT in the Library

An Introduction to the School History In 1518 John Blubery bequeathed his “chief mansion place in Cranbrooke” to found the school. For nearly 500 years Cranbrook School has occupied the same site. John Blubery’s mansion disappeared in 1727 to make way for School House, which remains the centre of the school now expanded to some seventy acres of buildings, gardens and playing fields close to the centre of this ancient town.

In 1574, Queen Elizabeth I granted the school its Royal Charter, still displayed in the library, and our official life began as “The Free Grammar School of Queen Elizabeth in Cranbrook”.

In recent years expansion has been rapid, and it was fitting that our four hundredth anniversary celebrations should have been marked by the visit of HRH The Duchess of Kent, who opened our Sixth Form Centre.

Cranbrook has retained a strong house ethos for both the day and boarding sides of the school.

The house is a small unit to which our pupils can relate and belong as individuals. We pursue our aim of care through the twelve houses. For boarders the house is home; for day pupils it provides a school base and a secure continuity of support as the pupil goes through the school.

Broadly speaking, the day houses are allocated by area.

Webster pupils live in Cranbrook, Horsley pupils live in Hawkhurst and Allan pupils live in Goudhurst, Staplehurst and other villages.

On arrival, a boy or girl will be placed with a Tutor who will be responsible for all progress and welfare, working closely with the Head of House. Among other things, the Tutor will look at academic progress, choice of subjects, involvement in the school’s programme of activities, the setting of individual targets, study and reading habits and careers advice.

Guidance Regular daily guidance is given by the Head of House and Tutor. More specific guidance is given by the Chaplain, the Careers Department, and within lessons.

Personal and Social Education (PSE) This is a taught programme for all year groups except Year 13. The course is co-ordinated with the pastoral care provision. In Years 9 to 11 all pupils take a course known as Personal and Social Education, which deals with issues

• To liaise with parents, house staff and colleagues as appropriate.

• To encourage extra-curricular dimensions: creative, sporting and cultural.

• To record and celebrate achievement as part of the whole educational process.

Religious Education and Assemblies

The Library

of personal health, sex education, family values, social awareness and so on. Religious Education studies continue into the Sixth Form and in Year 12 the PSE Scheme of Work builds upon the themes covered in the Lower School.

Pastoral Care OFSTED 2003: “Pupils’ very good behaviour is the result of the very good moral provision. A strong sense of justice exists throughout the school. Pupils have a secure understanding of right and wrong.”

The student’s well-being is at the heart of the tutorial programme. Day and boarding pupils meet with their tutors daily and there are also regular full school or house assemblies. Tutor meetings follow a co-ordinated programme with the following objectives: • To support and monitor the student’s academic and social progress and to discuss individual targets.

• To implement parts of the school’s provision for a pupil’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

• To liaise with careers staff, SEN co-ordinator, and PSE staff for information both general and specific to a tutee.

The school has close links with the ancient Parish Church, and the Vicar of Cranbrook is an ex-officio Governor of the school. The Chaplain is a member of the teaching staff, and is available for consultation and advice at any time. He is responsible for the school’s pattern of assemblies, which are non-denominational in character, and also for preparing pupils for Confirmation. He is in charge of the school’s taught curriculum of Religious Education (R.E.), in which every pupil receives at least one lesson per week during the compulsory years of schooling. The syllabus for R.E. meets the requirements of the National Curriculum for all ages in the school and the school recognises the parents’ right to withdraw their children from the Act of Worship and from lessons of R.E., to be supervised elsewhere. The course followed in Years 10 and 11 leads to the GCSE examination which students are encouraged to enter.

Morrisby Profile and all pupils are involved in a two-week work experience placement after their GCSE examinations.

Sixth Formers receive detailed advice about careers and Higher Education entry requirements through interviews, discussion, talks, visits, and the Morrisby Course Finder questionnaire. The school places great emphasis on good careers guidance at all levels.

The vast majority (over 95%) of our students go on to degree courses at University or College. The most recent destinations of leavers are given in the additional information at the back of the prospectus.

Careers The Careers Department is central to the progress of all students throughout their time in the school and works closely with the house and tutorial system. Pupils in Year 9 receive advice about subject choices for GCSE. Members of Year 10 and 11 have interviews to help them make subject choices for their Sixth Form studies and to enable them to begin to formulate ideas about their long-term career objectives. They also see a member of the Kent Careers Service, have the opportunity to complete the A chat at breaktime

Relaxing in the Year 9 Dorms

Consultation with Parents The school greatly values its contacts with parents, both at parents’ evenings and in the frequent liaison between home and school made possible by the house and tutorial system. Regular academic progress cards are issued, as well as twice-yearly reports. Parents are encouraged to contact the Tutor whenever the need arises.

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Year 9

The Curriculum Pupils join Cranbrook School for a five-year course, and should be able enough to follow a programme leading to nine or more GCSE passes at grades A, B or C, followed by four or five AS courses and three A Level (A2).

The curriculum at Cranbrook, however, although academic, is not narrow. The following sections of this prospectus, read together, will give an idea of the range of opportunity available.

Pupils join one of five parallel forms. They are placed by ability or previous experience in different groups for Mathematics, French, German and Classics. Through this year, they follow a broad general course in preparation for the choice of GCSE subjects to come. Subjects studied are: Mathematics, English, French, German or Classics, Geography, History, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Art, Music, Drama, Technology (Materials, Computing and Food Science), Religious Education, Physical Education and Personal and Social Education (PSE).

Sex education, taught in Years 9 to 12 in PSE and Biology lessons, places emphasis in the lower years on family values, and health and hygiene are always given a high priority. In accordance with the Education Act, parents have the right to withdraw their children from sex education lessons which cover anything other than the biological facts. This pattern meets the National Curriculum requirements for pupils in Year 9.

Year 10 and 11 All pupils follow courses leading to GCSE in nine or more subjects. Care is taken to ensure a balance between the need to specialise and to keep in touch with a wide range of subjects. So the curriculum during these years is arranged as follows: All pupils must study Mathematics, English, French or German, and the Sciences to GCSE level. They must also attend courses in Physical Education, Personal and Social Education and Religious Education.

As well as the compulsory subjects above, all pupils must choose three optional subjects from the following list: History, Geography, Latin, German, Food Science, Art and Design, Drama, Music, Design and Technology, Information Technology.

We expect pupils to include at least one humanity and a practical/creative subject in their choices.

This pattern provides a balance between specialisation and general choice. As a guide, all optional GCSE subjects are taught for about 2 1/4 hours per week.

Technology lab

Dance class

Years 12 and 13 The school is rightly proud of its 300 strong Sixth Form, and of the range of courses it is able to offer. Although the close guidance of previous years is maintained, Sixth Form students are encouraged to make responsible choices - in AS and A Level subjects, personal reading, recreation, dress - to prepare them for the years ahead, at University and elsewhere. The new system of Advanced Level study

means that students sit external examinations on a number of separate occasions throughout the two years.

Most Sixth Formers study four or five AS levels in their first year, carrying at least three of these to A (A2) level in Year 13. In addition they have a games afternoon, Personal and Social Education, Religious Education and lessons leading to the Key Skills qualification and the Critical Thinking AS. Choice of AS/A2 Level subjects is carefully discussed with Tutors and Careers staff, and any sensible combination from the following subjects is normally available: Mathematics, Further Mathematics, English Literature, English Language, French, German, Latin, Geography, History (Early Modern, Later Modern), Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Economics, Politics, Art and Design, Music, Home Economics, Theatre Studies, Design Technology, Computer Studies, Classical Civilisation and Psychology.

In addition through our link with Angley School, students are also able to take vocational A Levels in Leisure and Recreation, Travel and Tourism and Performing Arts.

Some of these may only be available at AS Level and students will be advised which these are.

A Level Extension Work Applications for Oxford and Cambridge are through the UCAS system, as for other Universities. However, specialist teaching beyond the demands of A Level, and for the sixth term entrance papers for admission to Cambridge, is available as appropriate.

In class

In the Quad

Pupils’ very good behaviour is the result of the very good moral provision. A strong sense of justice exists throughout the school. Pupils have a secure understanding of right and wrong.

OFSTED 2003

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Sixth Form Responsibilities

The Curriculum

The school depends greatly upon the leadership and organisational skills of its senior students. Many worthwhile activities would not take place but for the involvement of large numbers of Sixth Formers, especially those in Year 13. The running of clubs, membership of committees, technical support in computer rooms, specialist help with lighting in the Queen’s Hall, reception of visitors, support for the librarian, leading the various day and boarding houses, helping to supervise behaviour about the school - all this and much more is undertaken by Sixth Formers before they leave Cranbrook.

We are very fortunate in the quality of our senior students and in the levels of responsibility and commitment they are prepared to offer our community.

Technology

Computer room

UCAS Guidance The school gives particular emphasis to the support provided to those selecting degree courses in Higher Education.

Each student will receive individual guidance with a number of teachers who specialise in knowledge of a particular range of degree courses and there are numerous group and individual sessions to assist with the completion of the UCAS application form. As a result of this process some 95% or more of the students succeed each year in gaining places at University or on other Higher Education courses.

Sixth Form Lectures and Visits The Director of Sixth Form ensures that a varied annual programme is mounted, giving Sixth Form students the chance to hear speakers on a wide variety of topics, to meet and hold discussions with representatives of many professions and occupations and to attend Conferences and Higher Education Open Days. Each year a number of students join the Young Enterprise Scheme, setting up and running their own business. Combined with the work of the Careers Department, and with events provided by the Music, Art, Drama, Weekend and Outdoor Pursuits programmes, a great deal is on offer to our Sixth Formers, beyond their compulsory studies.

In the Art Room

The Library

Relaxing in the cafĂŠ

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Many concerts are given every year in the Queen’s Hall, the Parish Church and in local village churches.

Facilities for music are excellent. The new Performing Arts Centre contains teaching/practice rooms, a chamber music room, music library, recording studio and concert rooms..

The Queen’s Hall theatre complex houses a fully equipped music room and a new grand piano.

Associated Board practical and theoretical examination sessions are held at the school each term.

Drama The Queen’s Hall is the home of the Drama Department. It opened in 1976 and in recent years has undergone a major refurbishment and upgrade. The Hall is a fully equipped theatre, with excellent, modern stage and lighting facilities.

The venue is largely run by pupils of the school who, with instruction and supervision, manage and operate much of the technical and stage resources at their disposal.

In addition, the Performing Arts Centre which opened in Summer 2004 will provide a fully equipped drama studio.

Drama is taught as part of the curriculum in Year 9 English classes and is available as a GCSE and A Level subject. Further studies in Theatre and Theatre-inEducation can be undertaken as part of the Sixth Form General Studies programme.

Students practicing

Extra-Curricular Activities There is more to school life than the academic, and in its desire to educate the whole person, Cranbrook encourages a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities. These may take the form of regular weekly commitments, annual events such as the Lenten Appeal or once-in-a-lifetime opportunities such as sports tours to New Zealand or working in Tanzania.

Music Over one hundred pupils learn musical instruments at the school, and the Director of Music is supported by 16 visiting part-time music teachers. In addition to an important contribution to the school’s academic curriculum, the Music Department provides a varied programme of extra-curricular musical activities. These include an orchestra, a big band, two choirs, various chamber music ensembles and rock bands.

There is an annual House Play Festival, in which the pupils themselves produce and present their own choice of plays.

The yearly calendar of events also includes junior, senior and whole-school productions. During the year, the Queen’s Hall is host to a large number of varied, visiting Companies, often offering workshops for our pupils. These professional performances are also made available to our pupils and parents, and to the wider community of Cranbrook.

The Queen’s Hall

Pupils’ very good behaviour is the result of the very good moral provision. A strong sense of justice exists throughout the school. Pupils have a secure understanding of right and wrong.

OFSTED 2003

Recent performance

Recent performance

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Overseas Tours Students have opportunities for overseas tours in a variety of different sports. Recent tours have included countries such as Romania, Argentina, Canada, South Africa, Ireland, New Zealand, Barbados and Australia.

For all this success, Cranbrook’s philosophy remains one of “sport for all”. We aim to provide healthy enjoyment for all our pupils through our well co-ordinated P.E. programme.

With the wide range of extra-curricular activities we offer, from rock climbing to rambling, we really do hope that we foster activity for everyone.

In recognition of this commitment to physical education and competitive sport, Cranbrook was one of only 30 schools nationally to gain the Sports Council’s prestigious Sportsmark Gold Award, held for three years. In 2003 that award was renewed and Cranbrook is the only school in Kent to hold it.

Rugby is extremely popular at Cranbrook

Sports Sportsmark Gold Winners 1997 - 2000 and 2000 - 2003 Cranbrook is rightly proud of its high reputation in sport. With marvellous facilities, including outdoor heated swimming pool, squash courts, astro-turf surface for hockey and tennis and a magnificent sports hall with a dance studio, climbing wall and multi-gym, the school has built on the traditions of past excellence and is, arguably, now stronger than ever in a wide range of sporting pursuits. With national and other representative honours going to girls and boys alike in all the major sports of hockey, rugby, netball, basketball and cricket, our teams can be very proud of their records.

Not only major team sports claim the limelight, either, since recent Cranbrook students have gained national and county honours in rifle-shooting, equestrianism, swimming, cross-country, golf, lacrosse and judo.

Life-saving lessons in the pool

Tennis practise

In the nets

The Sports Hall

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The school has a number of funds and bursaries with which it is able to support and encourage pupils who wish to undertake voluntary work in the developing world.

In addition, the school has a long-standing link with the Tabora Region of Tanzania, and there are regular summer expeditions by students and staff to work there on village development projects.

The school is also able to invite Tanzanian teachers to make visits to Cranbrook where they work alongside class teachers in appropriate subject areas.

CCF The CCF Contingent has an Army and an RAF section, both highly successful at annual camp, and frequent winners of awards there. Besides the annual camp, there are regular Field Days, a camp in Germany with BAOR and an Adventurous Training camp. The CCF is well equipped and provides training useful for those who may wish to apply for Service Scholarships or Commissions in the three Services in due course.

Travel Overseas

A Beach on the Tanzania Trip

Special Programmes Charities The school runs a wide range of charity fund-raising activities and events centred around the annual Lenten Appeal in the Spring term, which together raise more than £18,000 each year in support of local, national and international charities, chosen by the student body. The main event of the Lenten Appeal week each year is the Gates Race which sees the whole school pursuing points in Hempsted Forest, for which the students are sponsored.

In the belief that travel genuinely does broaden the mind, Cranbrook is committed to organising trips to cater for a wide variety of interests.

Ski trips are always popular and, more recently, have numbered two or three each year, to Europe and the United States. Every other year, a group of older students has travelled to Tanzania to work alongside local people.

We also have an exchange partnership with a school in Kevala, Southern India. Our students visit over the October half term with their Indian partners coming to us the following summer.

In addition, in recent years, there have also been trips to the First World War battlefields, Bruges, Paris for “Our Future in Europe” conference, Morocco for a trekking holiday, Germany for CCF camp and as part of our exchange with a Grammar School in Ostfildern and of course sports tours.

This interest in travel may well be why such a high proportion of our year 13 students undertake a gap year before going to University.

The Tanzanian primary school built by Cranbrook Students

Pupils’ very good behaviour is the result of the very good moral provision. A strong sense of justice exists throughout the school. Pupils have a secure understanding of right and wrong.

OFSTED 2003

A CCF Platoon

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Boarders do their prep in Houses, but eat centrally. The school takes care to provide a friendly atmosphere in its houses and to create the right resources for both study and leisure.

OFSTED 2003: “The overall quality of boarding accomodation is very good and helps create the caring and productive atmosphere in the Houses, which are well decorated, maintained and cleaned and have a very good range of facilities.”

Boarding Life

The Boarding Routine Weekday:

Saturday:

Sunday:

Relaxing in a Dorm

7.30 - 8.15 am: Breakfast 8.35 am: Registration 8.45 am - 4.00 pm: The School Day 4.00 - 6.00 pm: Activities/Free Time 6.00 pm: Supper 7.00 pm: Prep 9.00 pm: House Activity From 10.00 pm: Bedtime 8.30 - 9.00 am: Breakfast 9.30 am - 12.30 pm: Activities/Sport 12.30 pm: Lunch Afternoon: Sports programme continues Evening: In-House or boarding arrangements Flexible “wake-up” 11.00 am: “Brunch” Coach or minibus Excursion (Calendared) Evening: Exeat Return Blubery and Crowden

The boarding community is at the very heart of Cranbrook life, giving the school its special flavour. Over a third of the school’s 720 pupils board and we aim to make the boarding experience safe, secure, purposeful and fun!

Each of the six boarding houses is run by a Housemaster or Housemistress with an experienced team of staff who care for our boarders. The boarding house is their term-time home and we place a very high value on trust and respect for each individual in our community.

We have five senior houses, two girls’, Blubery and Scott, and three boys’, Cornwallis, Rammell and Crowden. In addition, School Lodge is the junior boys’ house accommodating our 13+ entry for one settling-in year. The six houses are complemented by the six day houses to provide an excellent integrated structure of boarding and day.

Increasingly, accommodation is in single study bedrooms and in small dormitories for the younger boarders, with generous common rooms and quiet rooms as well. There is a fully equipped Medical Centre run by the Sister, who is a State Registered Nurse. It is visited regularly by the School Doctor.

There is always someone in the boarding house throughout the day, usually the Matron, to look after pupils at any time.

The Canteen

The High Street

Flexibility and Weekends Exeat arrangements are very flexible and both local and overseas boarders can, with the usual permissions, take advantage of a Friday or Saturday departure or, indeed, remain to enjoy the vibrant weekend programme.

Saturdays are our big sports fixture days but all pupils beneath Sixth Form must gain activity credits for regular commitment to extra-curricular activities. These are on offer at lunchtimes, after school and at weekends. Junior boarders must opt for a Saturday activity. Excursions are organised regularly on Sundays. The termly calendar and the activities and practices broadsheet is evidence of a colourful and varied programme.-

Community and Care Cranbrook boarders are an integral part of the town community. The boarding houses are a minute’s walk from the middle of town so boarders enjoy the advantages of rural town life with all the convenience and friendship it offers.

Overseas boarders particularly enjoy the occasional weekend with a local family, so easy and strong are the

links with the “day” side of the school.

All permissions are carefully vetted but our tight catchment area really advantages boarders who forge strong friendships with day pupils and resident students alike The school is a leading member of the Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA) and the State School Boarding body (SBSA). The boarding side of the school is monitored by the Deputy Head (Pastoral) and the Senior Boarding Master. Boarders are encouraged to take responsibility for their community and the environment and each house has a House Council and representatives sit on the vital student liaison committees: Dining Hall, Environmental, Charity, Entertainments and the School Student Council.

Pupils’ very good behaviour is the result of the very good moral provision. A strong sense of justice exists throughout the school. Pupils have a secure understanding of right and wrong.

OFSTED 2003

Each house has a different character architecturally and culturally. House events are individual and often traditional.

The whole boarding community meets together each month to reaffirm the importance of boarders and boarding to Cranbrook. Indeed our day pupils often express envy for the lives of our boarders. Perhaps they know something that we don’t!

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Mentoring We have become increasingly aware of the support needed by young people as they grow through their teenage years. Each house has developed a mentoring programme so that our students can refer to and discuss their lives and progress at school with, usually, an older student.

In addition, senior students opt to become “listeners” and are trained by Childline experts to hear and help those with personal difficulties. The school’s counselling links enable an independent psychologist to visit the school fortnightly, for confidential “surgeries”. Pupils are allowed to miss a defined period of lesson time to assist ease of attendance.

These pastoral structures augment the well-tested tutor-tutee relationship and they have had a very significant and positive impact on the life of the school - boarding and day - in the last two years.

The last word can go to a School Lodge boy: “Cranbrook boarding is great fun and the number of activities you do is more than enough. We have been to Bluewater, Canterbury, Cambridge, Millennium Dome....I could go on and on. But the question arrives again - is it the right thing for someone to do? I said yes at the beginning of the year and I say yes now as well!”